Moving to the country
by iceSTEP
Summary: Ally's perfect world is shattered when her mother passes. She is forced to pack up her life in new york and live with her estranged father in the country. Why wont the brown eyed boy with big city dreams leave her alone? All she wants is to forget, but in all his flaw's, antics and drunkiness his eyes still shine when he looks at the world and all he wants is for her to see it too
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

**Blow out all the candles.**

Moving to the country.

Is that like a silent code people try and follow to magically fix their lives?

Well it didn't.

No amount of trees, clean air or flannel-clad people would change anything.

She'd still be dead.

People would still continue to die.

Endless it really WAS a little slice of heaven. Ally rolled her eyes at that thought. They'd just passed the sign declaring that ludicrous statement, it was worn at the edges and the colours were bleeding into each other.

Just like this town.

She shifted awkwardly in her seat thankful that the drive was almost over. It had been an agonizing hour and a half from New York to…wherever this was. Ally had no idea what she should say to the stranger next to her so all she managed was to clang her teeth together in a repetitive motion.

She was still getting used to what he ACTUALLY looked like now. Sure shed seen pictures, but he was so young in them. He wasn't exactly old now but he was weary, aged. She noticed how his hair was starting to thin and the circles under his eyes as he squinted in the dimming light.

He'd just taken off his sunglasses and Ally could tell he was still probably hung over. She didn't blame him though. This entire last week had been a nightmare. Being stuck with the daughter of the family you cut and ran from. Putting her mother in the ground and then well then there was Ally.

She'd barely said two words since last month.

Let alone to him.

They pulled up to the house. It was weather boarded and everything was green…there were fences… They both took an involuntary gulp. It wasn't quite suburbia... but…it was a small town.

Try REALLY small.

Ally wouldn't have minded the house ordinarily. Her mum had always talked about living in a real home.

"_Wouldn't it be great Ally cat? We'd have four walls and-"_

"_Mum," Ally interrupted unable to help the spurts of laughter at her mothers enthusiasm and completely inaccurate statement, "you know we have those now right? Its kind of how the roof stays up-how we don't get squished into an abyss of-"_

_Ally made a guaffling noise as a pillow was thrown into her face._

"_Alright smartass. You know what I mean. We could have a porch swing-and a porch!"_

"_Yes well the porch swing WOULD need some kind of stabiliser." Ally drawled off sarcastically. _

"_And we'd be able to reach the front door then too," Her mother commented thoughtfully before they both laughed again. _

"_I never pegged you as a hick," Ally said smirking as she snatched the nuttella jar away from the coffee table and scooped a spoonful into her mouth generously. _

"_Well my grandparents had this adorable little orchard that I used to go to when I was young. I used to visit every summer." She said almost starry eyed as she grabbed the jar away from Ally who whined and scooped her own serving making an exaggerated mmmmmn sound following. _

"_Well I take it that was WITHOUT your parental unit then?" Ally said eyebrows raised and her mother shrugged. _

"_Would you live somewhere like that if it wasn't-"_

"_Wasn't for you?" her mothers eyes flew open, "of course not. I don't regret a single hair on your head missy. You know that right?" She looked so serious for a second that Ally could only nod her head but not before she mumbled something else._

"_Well he doesn't know what he's missed. It'll be his sorry ass when he doesn't know his amazing daughter. Top of her class at MUNY."_

_Ally rolled her eyes, "do you ever stop bragging about that?"_

"_A Dawson never brags, I'd never-"her mother began with a sweeping hand gesture._

"_What about the barrister this morning?"_

"_Since when do we call Paulie 'the barrister' " she made air quotes with her fingers and Ally couldn't help the smile forming on her face._

"_Since he gave me decafe this morning, I practically slept through English!"_

"_Well Paulie doesn't count." She said definitively with a wave of her hand._

"_And the postman,"_

"_Well…"_

"_The hotdog guy."_

"_He looked interested!" She defended hopelessly._

"_The lady who tripped on the stairs in our buil-"_

"_Okay smarty pants. See this is why you are top of your class!" She continues dramatically and Ally rolls her eyes for the umpteenth time. _

He mother was so overzealous and out there compared to Ally. Who was quiet. Kept her head down. Made great grades. And was amazing with anything musical even if she got a little nervous sometimes. Besides there was also the fact that music was apparently an attributed gift from her father. As thus proven every time her mother opened her mouth to sing loudly along to a Katy Perry song.

Ally always knew her father wasn't the stick around kind of guy. After her mother had gotten pregnant at sixteen he'd fled and never turned back. Her mother always insisted he wasn't an awful man though. That she'd loved him. That she probably always would, but he wasn't a committed guy.

"He doesn't want to mess it up." She'd once said after they were arguing one night. Well not arguing, Ally's mum was just as mad as Ally but she was still trying to calm her down.

"I don't want him HERE I just wanted this one thing mum. Have I ever asked for anything? I've never even SEEN him!"

She'd just been awarded the Silver note award. Least to say it was a big deal. In the newspapers big, fancy party, cocktail dress wearing an engraved silver music note the size of a baby's head big.

But he never showed.

Not even after he'd promised.

Ally had almost laughed without humour at the fact that the very first time she did meet her father was at a funeral. Her mother's funeral. It took a person TO DIE for him to see his only daughter.

Now Ally was staring at a rickety looking porch swing and tears brimmed her eyes. She shook away the feeling, not wanting her dad to see her cry.

Dad.

Now THAT wasn't exactly rolling off the tongue.

"Your rooms upstairs to the left," he said exhaustedly. Ally nodded and turned back to walk towards the car but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"I've got it. There's already a bed and everything in there. Your probably tired." He finished scratching his eyebrow with his middle finger before he removed his hand into an awkward pat before removing his hand completely.

"Thanks," was all she managed before she headed up stairs.

The place was nice, homey. In a foreign kind of way. The way you describe the word, but not the actual feel of it being your own home.

Ally collapsed onto the bed. It was a light blue bedspread. It looked like a little boys room. She didn't dwell too much before her eyelids drooped and the darkness took over.

It was a Thursday. Apparently it was all the time in the world for her to adjust before school tomorrow. She just HAD to start school on a Friday, not that she was complaining, it's not like she wanted to hang around here…with her father who would probably be out.

She met her fa-Lester downstairs who was brewing coffee and cringing at the sound of the kettle. It was an old one that made those piercing sounds when it was boiled.

"Were getting a new one of those," he muttered to her before handing her a cup of coffee. It looked gross but she needed it.

"You like coffee right? Because Merissa said you-" he stopped speaking at her crestfallen expression and cleared his throat about to speak again but Ally cut him off.

"Whose house is this?" She asked and he looked taken a back for a moment by an actual sentence coming from her.

"Uh mine, I mean my parents. I grew up here." he finished scratching his head.

Ally's eyes widened slightly. "So everyone here-"

"No no one knew about your mother or me. She was from the city. My parents didn't advocate their grandparent-ness either. Small town and all." He said probably less careful then he should have and Ally frowned.

He wanted to back track but wasn't sure how to. Considering he'd never actually been a part of Ally's life...but she was already on to another question.

"So my room-"

"Is my old one," he finished sipping some more of his coffee as they stood awkwardly in the kitchen.

"And your parents...-"

"Dead." he stated flatly and Ally shifted on her feet. All she could manage was an,

"Oh."

"Yeah." he finished before he dumped his coffee in the sink.

"This is terrible, come on let's go out. First on the agenda: Coffee that isn't terrible."

"I second that," Ally said pulling a face as she tried to take another sip of the gastly thing he dared to call coffee.

"So I figured we could go get some breakfast. Sort out your school stuff and then probably groceries. All that's here is...well that coffee."

Ally nodded and then went upstairs to get dressed. Her bags were all outside her door from last night. She smiled slightly the he hadn't wanted to wake her up and dragged most of them inside.

She found one which had her clothes in it and changed into a large Strokes T with some shorts and her vans. She found her sunnies and her purse then made her way down stairs.

It was oddly familiar that they walking to their destinations. Obviously no one knew how to drive in New York. Not her mum anyway, that had been a terrifying incident when she decided she was breaking up with the subway and cheating on it with a rental. Which she crashed of course.

It was the same here. People were busy walking about, but not because of traffic.

A Sunday morning was apparently very busy to the patrons of hick vill. Ally couldn't really figure out why.

The worst part was that everyone was staring at them.

She could practically feel Lester tense as people passed us.

"Why are people staring at us."

"I think it's just you,"

She turned to glare at him and he cracked a smile to say he was joking.

"Well like I said no one knows I got a kid," he shrugged and Ally grew angrier. She didn't know if it was all the fresh air, the fact that her mother was dead or that she'd just had a really bad cup of coffee.

"I'm not a kid,"

"I know Ally I'm-"

"And I'm definitely not YOUR kid."

"Ally that's not fair-"

"Then why did someone have to drop dead for you to give a damn, what are we even doing here?" she whispered harshly and he paused before he assessed her.

She knew that was harsh but she couldn't help it.

No one had overheard there conversation but was watching their tense postures as they talked silently on the sidewalk.

"Look Ally," he grabbed hold of her shoulder to keep them moving away from everyone watching.

"This hasn't been easy for me either, I never wanted to move back home. But the"

"Physiologist," Ally supplied blandly.

"Thinks," he emphasized as they continued down the main strip. "That somewhere less crowded would help you. I loved her to you know."

"Then why did you never come back?" Ally whispered and he looked so pained in that moment that Ally turned away frightened that she might be conveying the same emotion in her own eyes.

"Ally where are you going?"

"Away from here," she mumbled as she walked down the strip and walked into a café/diner place.

. . She kept repeating over in her head until she numbly sat at the counter.

She was staring at the swirls that the coffee was making as she swished it around. Her mother had always said that it was the way the coffee communicated with you.

She once even held it to her ear and said the sloshing noises were talking to her.

Ally frowned.

If it were a normal day, with her mother alive and well. If it was an average thought she would laugh to herself and say that her mother was crazy.

It was easier to get rid of everything that reminded Ally of her. The move here had been good for something after all.

She'd given up a lot of things but coffee...

It was practically a staple and didn't count even though she always drank it with her mum.

She stared at the swirl before she promptly emptied it's contents to not have to stare at it any longer. It burned her throat and made her feel dry and hollow again.

She held it up and looked up for the first time when it wasn't magically refilled like it had been doing since she got here.

She frowned and then met warm brown eyes that reminded her of...coffee.

Where was her god damn coffee?

She motioned to her mug and coffee eyes smirked down at her.

"I have to cut you off,"

"This isn't a bar," she responded eyebrows narrowing at him and she finally assessed him properly now that he didn't look like a giant cup of coffee.

He had really blonde hair, and an almost childlike glint in his eyes although he looked like he was probably her age or older. It was safe to say he was attractive.

"Really? Well your drinking like you're AT one," he tilted his head to the side and his smirk didn't falter.

Okay so now she was pissed. She didn't care how cute the coffee hostage holder was he was still holding her coffee hostage.

"You're on your way to a TERRIBLE tip buddy," she smirked back and he frowned.

"Impossible, everyone loves me. Specially out of towner's," He said leaning closer to her over the counter.

"That's probably we're we hit the snag. I'm not an out of towner, as you so eloquently put it," Ally made a grab for the pot that he'd left just sitting on the counter when he'd lent both of his hands on the counter.

He managed to push it out of the way and was smirking again, "you almost got me, on both accounts. I know everyone. Everyone knows everyone here to a degree that it's insufferable actually," he muttered the last part as he toyed with the pot purposefully in front of her.

Mostly because this girl looked crazy adorable when she was ticked off and this seemed to be doing the trick.

She shrugged, "well I'm new to town. And you're about to be dead to this town endless I get some more jo."

He raised an eyebrow at her sass, and then part of him got incredibly excited. She was new. There was a girl HIS AGE...at least he thinks, new to his town that hasn't seen him eat worms when he was five or rip his pant on an excursion when he was twelve.

Not that he hadn't had a lot of girlfriends. He was just running low on options without seeming like a total juvie hunter.

Besides, she was hot.

"Well welcome to Tether valley, enjoy the rest of the end of your life," he said sarcastically and then Ally laughed for the first time since she didn't know when and it was real.

"Not even gonna sugar coat it for me?" she asked and he shrugged, "the people here will stuff you so full of it anyway." she nodded.

"Sooo," she drawled leaning forward closer to him over the counter. "Do I get a welcome present?" she asked innocently and he was so lost staring at her lips before he realised what was happening.

"You're trying to flirt your way into your fifth cup of coffee!" he accused leaning away from her but he was smirking.

Ally pouted, "pretty please?"

He sighed exasperatedly, "You have a serious problem," he muttered as he refilled her cup.

He couldn't say no to a face like that now could he?

She smiled victoriously.

"This is the last one, I mean it." He warns and she nods in agreement before sipping at it greedily.

"Ally! There you are finally."

"It's not exactly a large town Lester," Ally said almost amusedly as she took in his dishevelled form. She secretly hoped he got harassed by the town about his illegitimate child.

"Right, and then I thought coffee and Alfario's has the best of that,"

"That they do," Ally said staring at the brown eyed boy who was cleaning something a short whiles away in hearing range and he winked at her.

Ally looked down blushing and Lester seemed to miss the action.

"Well it was a good guess since it's practically the only thing you know about me," Ally said offhandedly. It wasn't meant to be a jab, just the truth in short.

She wasn't in the mood to argue anymore anyway. She was on her coffee high and she wasn't being brought out of her coffee clouds for nothing.

The rest of day went by significantly less awkward as they bought Ally's school supplies and groceries.

People didn't seem to outrightly speak to them, but kept their whispers between themselves. She guessed Lester could have been a little intimidating or maybe they were just trying not to be rude...okay fat chance at that one.

She already didn't like all the attention, she feared for school tomorrow. But hey maybe she'd get some coffee beforehand.

**Please review if you want me to continue this story, I've had it written for a while and I'll put up more chapters if anyone likes it**** peace.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

**It's not healthy it's what makes you right.**

"This couldn't get any worse," Ally rocked on her heals as she stared at the large building. Well it wasn't that large but it was the biggest one in town so it was still daunting.

That's actually how she'd known where to find it.

Lester hadn't been a bundle of help, he'd left a note that morning saying he'd left for his job in the nearest city and wouldn't be back until tonight. All he'd said was that the school building was across town and that she wouldn't miss it.

'Yeah, thanks DAD.' she thought bitterly as she made her journey to the supposed school.

She thought about not going at all. It wasn't like Lester would know. But she was here already, punctual. I mean come on she was still Ally after all.

Although she was probably going to be late with the way she was just standing there rocking on her boots.

"It doesn't change,"

"I'm sorry what?" Ally whipped around to be met with a short Latina girl with curly hair.

"The school, it's just as terrible inside I promise," she joked noticing Ally's weariness.

"Yeah you towns folk haven't exactly instilled much hope yet," she mumbled and the girl laughed.

"I'm Trish," the girl stuck out her hand commandingly and Ally was startled.

"Oh, I'm Ally."

"I know that," she said rolling her eyes and Ally grew more weary as she shook her hand.

"H-How?" She stumbled slightly surprised.

"You HAVE realised this is a small town right?" The girl said obviously.

"That's what coffee boy kept yammering about," Ally muttered frowning.

"I'm sorry who?" Trish asked with a glint in her eye that said she knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Nothing," Ally sighed, "do you think you could show me the administration office?" Ally asked hopefully.

"Sure," Trish smiled widely as she linked arms with Ally and pushed through the pale orange doors.

Ally allowed herself to be dragged along, after all she was probably going to be the first friend she made here and Ally wasn't good at making friends. Not that she really wanted any at the moment.

When they were safely inside the small adjacent room down the hall Trish waved and told Ally shed see her later.

Ally blinked and she was gone, oh well.

She turned to a middle aged woman who was a bit heavy handed with the lipstick and had a bright fucscha top on.

Aaaaand she was now staring at her like a piece of steak.

"Ah you must be Ally Mason." She said smiling widely at her and Ally could see a bit of lipstick that had made its way on her teeth.

"Nope Dawson," Ally corrected tightly.

The lady made a surprised face and Ally couldn't tell if it was faux or not. "But Lester's a Mason he's your father isn't he?"

"Dawson's my mother's name," Ally clarified tightly avoiding the other part of the sentence and the woman nodded in understanding.

"So where is your mother?" she asked and then probably regretted her nosiness but not really. She was probably ecstatic to be the one to get the gossip around town first.

"New York," Ally said as nonchalantly as she could.

It wasn't _technically_ a lie.

The woman nodded and didn't push her luck much further. "Well this is your schedule and your locker number and combination, here's a map if you get lost."

'_Yeah I doubt that_,' Ally thought sarcastically.

Ally grumbled about how the world was completely and unbearably unfair as she did quote 'get lost' in the tiny school on the way to her very first class.

"Why does New York feel smaller than this place right now?"

"Hmm I pegged Miami,"

Ally jumped at the sound of a voice that was followed by a familiar chuckle. Her eyes widened as she was met with coffee boy, who was leaning against a nearby locker neighbouring by a door leading outside.

"Do I really look tanned to you?" Ally asked deadpanned and his smile grew as he pushed himself off of the locker and made his way towards her.

He pretended to be scoping her skin but it just looked like he was blatantly checking her out and it was making Ally feel extremely uncomfortable.

He noticed and smirked.

"Shouldn't you be in a class or something?" Ally asked irritably as she clicked in front of his face. He pulled himself out of his daze and quickly retorted like she knew he would.

"Shouldn't you? Man I'd just HATE to be tardy if it was MY first day," He exaggerated exasperatedly and Ally internally gasped as her eyes widened.

She'd never been late in her ENTIRE life.

Except once.

Her eyes moved far away and he looked concerned for a moment as he took in her expression. "I was just kidding," he rolled his eyes and snatched the paper out of her hands.

"Hey! What are you doing I need that," she shouted after an exemplary amount of time had passed and he looked up amused.

"I'm helping you," he stated simply.

"I don't need it," She huffed indignantly and he rolled his eyes in turn.

"Then you know you're going the wrong way right?" He said with an eyebrow raised, the amused expression had let to leave his face.

Ally let out an irritable sigh and his expression grew smug, "fine then, lead the way."

"But seriously don't you have your own class to get to?" Ally asked, she didn't want to put him out even if he was irritating, but man he made gooood coffee.

"Yeah it just so happens to be the in the same room as yours," he winked before walking several strides in front of her and Ally blushed.

"SOO you're NOT a senior," He says almost dejectedly as he looks over her schedule.

"Geez but you're taking classes like one," he muttered as he read all the ap's in front of the subjects.

They had the same home room and an elective plus chemistry.

"You're lucky that thing is full of prime Austin time," he stated cockily as he put his arms behind his head as they walked.

"So THAT'S your name, I thought I was going to have to call you coffee guy forever," Ally said sarcastically as she fiddled with the side of her backpack strap.

"Well I'm glad you have priorities associating me with coffee. I somehow feel like that's a good association with you," he smirked and she frowned.

"Not when you deny said coffee, I swear it's just bad business," Ally makes a tsk noise and Austin retorts quickly in mock outrage.

"I was TRYING not to kill you!"

"Well thank you for that consideration, but I'm perfectly fine." she threw back and he smirked as pushed through the door.

She hadn't even realised they were there, Ally barely had any time to freak out at all thanks to Austin.

"Ah Mr Moon how nice of you to grace us with your presence," The homeroom teacher said in an obviously sarcastic tone as she turned away from the chalk board.

Oh god they were using chalk! She wouldn't survive the week, _well that's a tad dramatic_, Ally thought to herself with a sigh.

"Well I was busy being a novel member of the student body," he replied smirking and the teacher's eyes narrowed.

Austin stepped aside and Ally could no longer hide behind his enormous frame. Man he was tall.

"Ah you found our new student, come in Miss Mason," she gestured forward and Austin winked at her finally before he strolled to the back of the room.

Great. Introductions.

"It's Dawson actually," Ally stated awkwardly fully aware of all the eyes burning in to her.

"Oh okay, we'll homerooms almost over. Take a seat anywhere." Ally sighed in relief that she wasn't being prodded with questions.

This lady didn't seem like the rest of the town. She seemed more fast passed and abrasive, more like New Yorkers.

Ally wondered down the aisle and heard everyone whisper blatantly about her.

Apparently entering in with Austin was something she should have changed with her back to the future time machine.

She sat down and was immediately swarmed with people.

"Where are you from?"

"What's your name?"

"I like your jacket,"

"Do you know Austin?"

"What was that all about?"

'_Oh my god my head is going to explode._'

"Alright move it," she heard a familiar voice and she brightened. Everyone seemed to disperse immediately without question before Ally could even attempt to stutter out an answer to any of their idiotic questions.

"Heya Ally, told you I'd find you. We're even in the same homeroom how cool is that?" She said enthusiastically and Ally nodded not knowing what else to do.

She saw Austin steal a glance at her and he smiled reassuringly at her.

"So you got lost already?" she giggled and Ally frowned.

"Right, sorry. Where's your schedule?"

Ally handed it to her wordless and Trish smiled saying that they had foreign languages together and lunch.

"So Austin here help you find your way ay?"

"Yeah besides his awful job skills he was rather helpful," Ally smirked as she watched Austin's face contort and Trish looked confused.

"Maybe you should switch to decafe, you're clearly delusional." Austin stated lazily from a row over where he was trying to balance a pencil on his nose whilst a red headed guy in brightly patterned pants attempted to swat it away… with a fish?

"Decafe? Why don't I just drink poison?" Ally said in horror as she crinkled her nose.

"Now that's a little dramatic," he smirked and she scoffed.

"Not when it's about my caffeine intake," Ally retorted and Trish looks at Austin who shrugged.

"Don't cut the girl off coffee endless you want to hear about it for the remaining milliseconds of your life."

"That's good advice," Ally agrees and Austin's smirk grew.

"You think so?"

And then the bell rang diffusing all the weird air that had suddenly filled the room.

"Is that the new chick? She's hot,"

"Moons already on it,"

"Bummer, will he ever give anyone a chance? Why doesn't he just graduate already?"

"I reckon, how does he work so fast? She's been here all of two seconds."

Ally was horrified. Austin wasn't ON anything! This tiny town was going to be in for some serious hurt soon.

She wasn't a shiny new toy!

She didn't even care if none of them had cable, this was getting ridiculous.

She wasn't looking for a guy. She'd been there, done that it hadn't exactly worked out after she well "broke." She wasn't looking for a boyfriend scarcely a month after she'd broken up with one.

She'd barely said five words since her mother had died.

She couldn't believe how much she was interacting with people. Not really people, mainly just Austin and Trish.

Shed only spoken this much once before that past month to call it quits to Dallas. She wouldn't say anything to him after it happened. Ignored all his texts and phone calls for days.

When he came around to talk to her about it she didn't say anything, she wouldn't speak, or eat. He did everything a good boyfriend should after everything but she wouldn't let him hold her or even cry.

She hadn't even cried yet.

Ally couldn't be there anymore in all senses and he'd understood that.

That's why she'd loved Dallas in the first place.

He was so completely understanding that she needed space and then she'd moved…to the COUNTRY…

Oh god she was a terrible person.

Ally's first day was bearable; just going through the motions of everything. Smiling and talking when necessary. People seemed to skate over her blatant social anxiety if she just pretended it wasn't there apparently.

But no one seemed to leave her alone…

God. In New York no one would take to seconds to glance. Oh you have an absent father who you just recently starting living with? Oh okay.

The end.

BaBye now my taxi's here.

But to this place it was like freaking bold and the beautiful. My god it was suffocating... Ally had decided after the twentieth towns person had blocked her path from school on the way home that she didn't want anyone to know that the only reason her dad had revealed her existence to the world is because her mum died. Can you say eleven and three quarters on the pity scale? All the touching and back patting, she shivered.

Nope, no, definitely not.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she got through the door. With no one to pretend to she fell silent and slid down the door.

She stared around the empty strange house.

Lester wasn't home.

Not that she expected him to be. But finally alone her mind began to wander to everything she was avoiding since she moved.

Why was her life falling apart?

She was GOING places.

Her life was perfect.

School.

Grades.

Friends.

A PERFECT boyfriend.

A family…. Now all she had was a guy who shared her DNA and ran at the sight of her. Not even trying to pretend. She was obviously an obligation.

Fantastic.

It was funny where your mind went when you just leant against the front door. She flicked through her phone, there were numerous calls and texts from her friends back home, some who didn't even know shed moved. Her finger hovered over the unopened mail before she sighed and chucked her phone unceremoniously to the ground.

Before Ally knew it shed dozed off, slumped against the door, her bag still around her as a cushion.

It was black outside when she woke and it startled her. '_Oh yeah not as bright as New York either...'_

"Oh my god," she breathed, she groped for her phone and it told her that it was midnight. She'd been asleep against a door THAT long?

'_Now that's pathetic,'_ she thought numbly, how did she not notice she was that tired?

"Coffee," She mumbled out into the darkness as she started tripping over things on her endeavour to the kitchen.

"OWWW..Bloody country." She grumbled as she stubbed her toe.

She started rummaging through the cupboards groping blindly; she'd never thought to turn the light on. She wasn't as logical lately….besides she was tired and she needed coffee…at midnight, because sleeping (again) seemed like a completely abstract notion.

She frowned realising that Lester couldn't be home yet. She'd been sleeping against the door, the FRONT door, he would have had to have hit her.

Did he really hate her that much?

Ally slammed the cupboard shut and made her way slowly back to the front door pulling on a jacket hastily.

Street lights. At least that was something…

It took Ally until she was on the main strip to realise that nothing was open. NOTHING.

Of course not its midnight. Wasn't there even a service station?

She hated this town. It was now decided.

She frowned as she sat on the convenience stores steps, this night was terrible.

She wanted to go home, back to New York. She thought having nothing as a reminder would help her move on but it just made her feel sick and scared. Scared that she'd lose apart of herself that she knew was probably already gone.

She tensed as she heard noises.

"Dezzz," she heard someone slur.

"We can't keep rehearsing if it means you're going to get drunk. Seriously dude," Dez said oddly serious and Austin waved him off.

"Where are we going?" Austin complained sounding a bit more sober ignoring Dez as he slumped to his side.

"Your house,"

"NO, my PARENTS are home." Austin grumbled.

"Is it that time of year already?" Dez asked realizing why Austin had been so weird tonight.

"_Unfortunately"_ is what he was thinking but he said, "bingo" and clicked his tongue as he made a shooting pointing gesture at Dez who laughed.

"Ally?"

"Nooo, I'm Dez geez would you get off that Ally chick already you've been biting my ear off about her all day. I get it man she's ho-Ally? Oh he wasn't kidding er hi," Dez stammered but Austin was already beside her shrunken form on the steps.

"What cha doing here Alllllyy?" Austin strung out his words and she noticed his cheeks were flushed in the poorly lit street lamps.

"Well I was having a midnight food thing, but then I realised, this isn't New York and everyone goes to bed at,"

"Nine," Austin cuts over her and she looks at him strangely. He scratched the back of head embarrassed. Ally could tell he was only a bit drunk and he was concentrating hard on not saying anything stupid.

"What are YOU doing here?" She asked sighing and he frowned.

"Dez is walking me home, I don't wanna go."

"Well than don't." Ally said shrugging before she stood up abruptly, she wasn't in the mood for anything right now. She was grumpy and thirsty.

Austin looked at her intently before he broke out into a twinkling smile.

"Your right, smart one you are Ally."

"And thank you for that," Dez said in mild annoyance to Ally before smiling at his goofy friend.

"We should go climb a tree Ally!" Austin said suddenly like it was the best idea in the world.

"WE aren't doing anything," Ally said sighing not having the heart to be mean to the cute drunk boy…who looks like he might cry if she was.

Her phone beeped again, she pulled it out of her pocket. She was foolish enough to think it might be her father.

It wasn't.

It was Dallas.

She snapped the phone shut not having the heart to open it…or any of them. Here she was a thousand miles away talking to two guys in the middle of the night in the middle of the road…and one of them was drunk.

"Whose Dally? She a friend?" Austin asked innocently and she narrowed her eyes at him for looking over her shoulder.

"Yeah he is." She said frowning putting it in her pocket.

"HE? I thought you were single?" Austin demanded and Ally rolled her eyes, she didn't like where any of this was going.

"Well it's not really any of your business." She snapped turning on her heel.

"Ally wait that's not what I meant," Austin said grabbing her arm.

"Don't touch me," she hissed and Austin's eyes went to a really sad puppy kicked place and she sighed…again.

"Look it's late; I'll see you guys later." She grumbled.

"Night Ally," Dez said with an apologetic smile.

"Get him home," was all she said before she disappeared down the road hopefully towards the house. It turned out that it wasn't the way to her house and she didn't have the heart to even think about how she should care. She enjoyed the fresh air oddly enough and thought about how clean it was.

Her mother would have loved it.

She walked around the greenery for probably another forty minutes maybe an hour, she also enjoyed the lack of residents on the streets. It was comforting to know she was invisible again, if not for this moment she was herself, well a slightly hollowed version at least.

Once Ally was safety inside she spotted the bottle on the bench top. It was half empty. Lester wasn't there though.

Ally almost started to panic until she realised that he'd just gone to bed once she'd peered through the crack of his door.

He'd just come home got drunk and gone to bed. He hadn't even attempted to check on her.

She kicked off her shoes and fell onto her mattress,_ Yeah this country side thing sucked._

**AN/ Well there it was as promised, thanks for the three people that reviewed the first chapter you guys are awesome****  
I have the next chapter written so review and ill post it real soon, oh and if anyone's wondering about the chapter names there always lyrics from a song I'm listening to while I write, sometimes it correlates with the chapter and sometimes it doesn't. Please review**** peace**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Okay so I know this one's a little shorter and I'm not sure if I like it, its setting up for the next one**** anyway enjoy and R&R please x **

Chapter 3:

**Everyone has hoped, you're human after all **

Ally spent the remainder of the weekend inside her bedroom. Lester had attempted interaction late Saturday morning suggesting that she should go and get them coffee. She'd snapped at him telling him that he should go get it endless he was to hung over to function. He'd slammed the door shut and that had been it for the entire weekend.

There was pizza on the bench late Saturday night that he'd left for her. She hadn't realised she hadn't eaten and didn't want to.

She went walking at night since it seemed to be the only thing to calm her down. Lester didn't notice and he'd almost finished the bottle that was full a day ago.

She wondered if it made him numb.

Ally hadn't bumped into Austin or his friend and couldn't make up her mind whether it was a good thing or not. Austin's eyes filled her mind, twinkling in that stupid childish way they did that made her want to smile, distracting her from her thoughts.

On the Sunday she tried to restore a sense of normality to her life. Studying, she loved school, her grades, and the grades her mother was proud of. Catching up on her lost time didn't take long though.

Without music her life seemed completely empty.

She was suddenly going to have all this time she didn't want.

When Monday rolled around Ally couldn't even try to hide how vacant she felt. People seemed less intent on her being the new towns toy and left her alone opting to only talking about her and not to her.

Not that she really minded and found a spot in the back of her home room. Ally proceeded to block out the annoying gaggle of teenage laughter and stared out of the window of the very country school she was being forced to attend.

"Well hey there Allly." She didn't need to look up to know who was standing in front of her. His new sneakers gleamed in the florescent lighting; she noticed that Austin had pretty nice things compared to most of the other kids here.

The extra syllables in her name made her think about the other night when Austin was drunk and how she'd gotten pissed at him. She had decided recently that she really didn't like drinking.

"Hey," she selected carefully not glancing in his direction. He made a put upon sigh and sat next to her.

"Look Ally about Friday night, I'm sorry if I wacked out on you, I don't normally-"

"What, get drunk?" She said in mock incredulousness.

"Shut up," he said rolling his eyes, "I'm trying to apologize to you," he said bonking her on the side of her head lightly.

"You don't have to do anything, honestly… I'm not mad at you," she smiled slightly at the way he smiled, like she had just given him pancakes or told him Santa was real and that everyone else was lying.

"Ally Dawson?" Ally looked up when her name was called and was given a slip to go see the guidance councillor.

Well that didn't sound promising. Although missing her first period; gym did.

"So Allison. How are you fitting in here in town?" The guidance councillor was freaky friendly and Ally squirmed in the uncomfortable wooden back chair.

"Okay, for the whole two minutes I've been here," she almost covered her mouth, that sounded rude and very un Ally like. If she was honest she hadn't been herself since her mother's death.

To her surprise the lady nodded smiling faintly.

"How have you been doing since your mothers passing?" She asked and Ally's head snapped up in surprise, she wasn't used to anyone here knowing about her mother.

"I'm a guidance councillor; it's my job to know." She smiled encouragingly at Ally and she sighed in return.

"Just surprised the town doesn't know yet," Ally mumbled and the councillor let out a light laugh.

"We're a close knit community."

Ally snorted, "Different from New York?"

"Very," Ally said in a friendlier manner.

"I studied there for a while, busy city."

"You don't seem like the New Yorker type, no offense." She added hastily and the woman waved her off. She finally had the sense to read the little plaque containing her name even though she was sure she introduced herself five minutes ago.

"No, I didn't really fit in with the NYU crowd," Mrs Kaye agreed and Ally's mouth was left slightly agape.

"Well that's more than mildly impressive." Ally mumbled and she laughed again.

"Well thank you, but the city life was never going to be it for me."

"So what happened?" Ally asked despite herself.

"I fell in love, my husbands from here and I guess I found my other secret love."

"PLEASE don't say the country." Ally mumbled.

"It does wonders."

"So I'm told," Ally stated flatly becoming more introverted by the second.

"Ally, I know this probably won't make you very happy and I did try to fix it but you have been mandated by the court."

Ally's head shot up, "they said that wouldn't be for months," Ally whispered.

"It's not what you think. You are required to complete court mandated therapy. Ten sessions and it can't unfortunately be here. It has to be carried out there in the city."

Ally looked mildly relieved and then annoyed. "I don't need to talk to anyone."

"It's out my hands I'm afraid. But you aren't required to have too many by law. You know how they stretch the tax dollar." She said winking at Ally who frowned.

"So when is it?" she asked masking a sigh.

The woman gave her an envelope with the courts seal. She didn't want anything more to with it, she felt sick and the woman stared on pityingly.

She didn't know what was worse.

"Can I go now?' Ally asked her voice tight.

"Of course dear."

Ally slid down the side of the building closing her eyes after she'd left the guidance councillor; she put the crumple letter away after reading it.

"Cutting class on her second day,"

"Shut it Austin." She mumbled not opening her eyes, the sun felt warm and good in contrast to the rain cloud dampening everything she touched.

"What's wrong?" He asked sliding next to her.

"I have to go to New York this weekend." She surprised herself by telling him exactly what was wrong, obviously not in detail.

"But I got the impression you kind of-"

"Hated your town?" she asked laughing bitterly and he smiled in turn.

"Something like that,"

When she looked up at him he was smirking down at her, trying to comfort the stranger he barely knew.

"Well it's not exactly a pleasure visit… Gotta tie up some loose ends." Ally mumbled and it was quiet for a moment, her mind ghosted over the fact that Austin wasn't in class…again and the more unnerving fact that good girl Ally Dawson wasn't.

It was amazing how much could change in a short amount of time.

"Is there really a two storied sonic boom there?"

"What?" she didn't think she'd heard him correctly.

"You know, the music store," he prompted his eyes twinkling.

"Yeah I know, I used to work there. I didn't know you liked music." She tilted her head in thought.

"You what? that's sooo cool. Oh yeah I'm gonna be super famous when I get to leave this town. Music. It's my life."

Ally watched him as he animatedly spoke, she knew she'd never be able to have that same spark or passion about music again. She knew she'd never feel the same about anything, especially her music.

She smiled though as she listened to him talk, he wanted a new guitar and then he was muttering about the town not having anything he could use.

"Would it be forward if I like I don't know came with you? I mean just so I can go get some music stuff? There's not a lot I can scrounge from here and you said you had loose ends right?" He looked hopefully at her but she could also see how withdrawn he was being.

She ended up weighing the pro's and cons. She didn't really think he father would be sober enough to drive her and even if she did tell him about it she didn't want to be stuck in a car with him. He worked weekends anyhow.

Ally wasn't sure she wanted Austin traipsing around her old life though.

"Okay,"

Shit, what did she just do? Oh well she DID need a ride.


End file.
